When using and upgrading a SAP system, an extensive amount of manual testing is required, which consumes time, resources and manpower. The main advantages of automated testing are:

Reduction in time to perform the necessary tests
Time saved can be reinvested into higher priority projects
Extensive and complete testing

One solution that can provide the automation of testing is our tool KATE (abbr. of Kit for Automated Testing). KATE by DataVard is a tool for automated tests in frontend testing based on WebTemplate testing and backend testing for various scenarios.

Frontend Testing can be used for the Web Template regression testing to ensure all basic functionalities remain functional despite the changes in the development. Backend Testing offers following functionalities:

Test query outputs on a large scale – Query testing is based on an idea of using a before image and an after image. These images contain results of all the selected queries/bookmarks, which are then stored for later comparison. The after images and before images are then compared to check if both results are the same. The testing of the same queries between two different systems is also supported with the use of RFC functionality.
Test InfoProviders content – Involves the Execution of ListCubes with specified characteristics selections. All key figures are always returned while settings for the DB aggregation, Read NLS, MAX Rows and Number of Hits can also be applied. Results of ListCube execution are stored as before/after images and are compared for similarity. Testing the same queries between two different systems is also supported with the use of RFC functionality.
Test of transformations – is for the Generation of Data Transfer Processes (DTP) and their execution. From the loaded data, the before and after images are created for comparison. By executing the same load two times you can verify if these were performed correctly or if there were any changes made in the transformation logic (changes in lookups, runtimes and other).
Test table content – Involves the creation of data images for Database Tables with specified fields. These fields are used either as characteristics or aggregated key figures columns; the images created are stored and compared for similarity. The testing of the same tables between different systems is also supported with use of RFC functionality.
Test report outputs – Involves the execution of reports with/without variants and the gathering of their outputs that are saved in the spool.

Backend Testing can be used to ensure that after changes in the systems (i.e. system upgrade, migration) were made the data remains unchanged.

Prerequisites and installation

The KATE tool is supplied to the customers in the form of a transport requests with all available functionalities included. DataVard’s Reuse Library is also provided together with KATE and is necessary for the customers that did not receive it yet with other DataVard tools.

All users working with KATE should have authorization “DVD_KATE” assigned, that is included in KATE installation transports.

KATE Restrictions

KATE Section	Prerequisites
General	Windows 7, Windows 8.1 machine SAP BW 7.0 to 7.4 (Recommended 7.01 or higher)
Dashboard	Internet Explorer 8 or more (9 or more recommended)
Test Case Document, Status Document	MS Word (Office 2007 – Office 2016)
Test Plan Report	MS Word (Office 2007 – Office 2016)
Web Template Test Case	Internet Explorer 8 or more with: ActiveX enable Scripting enabled MS Excel (Office 2007 – Office 2016, 32-64 bit) Web Templates newer than 3.5 version
Web Intelligence Test Case	Internet Explorer 8 or more with: ActiveX enabled Scripting enabled MS Excel (Office 2007 – Office 2016, 32-64 bit) SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform 4.1 Support Pack 6
ListCube and DrillDown Test Case	For NLS data testing, SAP 7.3 or more needed
DTP Test Case	Transformation with source: InfoCube, DataSource and DSO are supported Transformation with target: InfoCube, DSO and WODS are supported
Frontend Testing	Scripting enabled on server for ‘sapgui/user_scripting’ parameter Activated scripting for SAP GUI without notifications Disabled SAP GUI security settings on test execution machine

KATE contains tables that are client dependent. Therefore it is required that the KATE transport is imported into the system using the same client where the users will be working with the tool.

KATE Terminology

In this section, basic terminology used in KATE tool is described for better understanding of following chapters.

Test Case – is a basic testing scenario, and the Test Case is a reusable component used in Test Plans, where the Test Cases are executed. See the chapter about Test case types for further information. Each Test Case is a schema of steps, while steps are defined by variant/variants. Example Test Case 1:

Type: ABAP Test Case
Schema: Execute program CONVERSION_CHECK

Example Test Case 2:

Type: ListCube Test Case
Schema: Create Images for InfoProviders and compare them

Test Case Variant – is the definition of a Test Case step with values that enable the Test Case execution in a Test Plan. The Test Case can be defined by one variant or by multiple.

Example Test Variant 1:

Variant: Execute program CONVERSION_CHECK with standard program variant ‘ALL’ (selection screen options)

Example Test Variants 2:

Variants: InfoProvider ZDC_CUBE1, InfoProvider ZDC_DSO1

Test Plan – specifies combination of Test Cases that can be executed. Test Cases (with variant/variants) assigned to Test Plan have their execution status.

Initial KATE Setup

KATE supports several Test Case types, not all of which may be relevant for you. Therefore, the customization transaction /DVD/KATE_SETUP provides options to only display the Test Cases that are relevant.

SLO ListCube enablement

SLO ListCube test case is missing in /DVD/KATE_SETUP transaction for KATE release 1705. IT can be enabled by executing transaction /DVD/KATE_SETUP_EXP and enabling "FUNC_TC_BW_SLO_L" functionality for all users.

Note

After first installing KATE, this transaction needs to be customized according to customer’s preferences.

_{Kate setup}

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